Combination suitcase and card table



Dec: 30, 1930. F. GUNCHICK 1,786,607

COMBINATION, sum"- CASE AND CARD TABLE Filed July 27, 1928 Patented Dec.30, 1930 treats? FRANK GUNCHICK, F W'ALTHILL, NEBRASKA COMBINATIONSUITCASE AND CARD TABLE Application filed July 27, 1928. Serial No.295,682.

My invention relates to a combination suit case and card table of thetype disclosed in my issued Patent No. 1,329,080, and has for itsgeneral object to improve upon the con struction shown of that patent.

An object of my invention is to provide a combination suit case and cardtable which is of simple, durable and inexpensive con struction.

A further object is to provide an arrangement in which the interliningof the suit case serves to form pockets to conceal the fo-ldable legswhich convert the suit case into a card table.

Another-object is to provide a substantial bracing structure for saidpockets.

A still further object of my invention is to provide a novelconstruction whereby the legs are securely supported, said means beingarranged to allow the necessary pivotal movement of the legs to guardthe egs against catching in the lining of the suit case during suchpivotal movement to give lateral support to the legs when they are intheir upstanding position and to be concealed also beneath the lining ofthe suit case so that the interior of the suit case will present anunbroken lined surface.

"l' ith these and other objects in view, my invention consists in theconstraction arrangement and combination. of the various parts of mydevice, whereby the Ol)]6ClZS contemplated are attained, as hereinaftermore fully set forth, pointed out in my claims, and illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the device converted into a card table.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the device with the legs folded, the cover ofthe suitcase being raised and parts of the lining being brolren away toillustrate the construction.

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal, sectional view taken on the line 33 of Fig. 2.

Fig. is a transverse, sectional View taken on the line 4- 1 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a detail, sectional view of ad acent portions of the suit caseand a leg, the latter being shown in its upstanding position.

In a suit case of the type under consideraor frame structure ofsubstantial material covered by the usual cover material on the outsioeand provided with a lining of fabric or the like for the inside and thatthis lining may be arranged to form the pockets which receive the legsin their folded positions.

In the accompanying drawings 1 have used the reference character A torefer generally to the body of the suit case,the reference characterB torefer generally to the cover thereof, and the reference character C toindicate the legs.

The body A has a frame structure comprising the bottom wall 10, the sidewalls 11, and the end walls 12, which are of cardboard or compositionboarding or some such suitable stifiening material as is ordinarily usedin the construction of suit cases.

The side and end walls 11 and 12 are covered by a sheet of coveringmaterial 18, which may or may not be formed in one piece with the bottomcovering 1 1, (shown in the drawings, as integral with the side wallcovering.)

Between the side walls 11 and the bottom wall are longitudinallyextending openings 15, which extend the entire length of the suit case,as may be noted from an inspection of Fig. 3. The bottom covering 1: issecured to the bottom wall 10 and extends beyond the side extremities ofthe bottom wall 10 so as to form the flaps 16 adapted to cover theopenings 15. The flaps 16 are provided with fastener links 17, adaptedto coact with the links 18, secured to the side walls 11 near the lowerextremities thereoof.

It will be understood that the covering Ll may be of fab 'ic, leather orother flexible material.

The usual construction is observed in the cover B and therefore nodetailed description thereof is given. The cover is hinged as at 19 tothe body A and fasteners 20 are provided to secure the cover in closedposition. A handle 21 is provided for the suit case. Corner brackets ofordinary construction are provided for the cover and body of the suitcase.

The interior of the suit case is provided with a lining 23 of heavyfabric, stiffened by treatment with some composition such as varnish orthe like and covering both side walls and bottom of the suit case.Pockets 24: are formed in the fabric lining 23 to receive the legs C intheir folded position. A steel rib 25 is inserted between the lining 23and the bottom and side walls 10 and ll, respectively, and follows thecontour of the pockets 24:, bracing them against collapsing. Althoughonly one rib 25 has been shown in the draw ings, it will be understoodthat as many may be used as may 7e necessary to properly support thefabric covering of the pockets 2%. It will be understood. th althoughthe word fabric is used in connection with the lining 23, that othermaterials might be employed such as leather or even sheet metal.

The upper edges of the lining 23 may be covered in the usual manner bythe downturned edges 26 of the outer covering 1?).

In the corners of the suit care body at the ends thereof are secured thetransvc e blocks 27, which are spaced at their ends from the side walls11 in order to receive the upper ends of the legs (l.

Each leg comprises a tapered shaft, as shown, having at its upper end alongitudinal slot 28, receiving a pin 29, which is extended through theside walls 10 and through the block 27 A. pin 30, extended through thebifurcated portions of the leg, closes the up per end of each slot 28.The leg has a rounded corner 81 to allow it to pivot about the pin 29and clear the end wall 12.

It may now be noted that the leg is so arranged relative to the end wallthat one of the bifurcations ot the leg slides snugly between the pin 29and the wall 12, being thereby constrained to engage the wall 12 when itis slid upwardly to the position shown in l ig. The wall 12 therebyserves to lock the leg against movement in either direction about thepin 29 when it is in the position shown in Fig. 5.

It may further be noted that the blocks 27, in conjunction with the sidewalls 11, form a socket to receive the upper end of the leg C, to bracethe leg against lateral movement. The block 27 further serves thefunction of supporting the lining 23 over the spaces between the ends ofthe block and the side walls 11, thereby forming covered sockets for thelegs and supporting the linings so that the legs will not become caughtin the lining or be interfered with by the lining in their movementtoward or from the position shown in Fig.

The lining will aid in supporting the leg invention without departingfrom the real spirit and purpose or" my invention id it is my intentionto cover by my claims, an modified forms of structure or use ofmechanicai equivalents, which may be reasonably inchided within theirscope.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a combination suit case and table, a receptacle body includingside walls, end walls and a bottom wall of relatively thin ma terial,said bottom wall having longitudinal openings separating it from theside walls, a lining of thin sheet material secured to the side wallsthroughout a portion of their height and spaced therefrom near thebottom wall to form longitudinally extending leg receiving pocketscommunicating with said longitudinal openings, a reinlorcing rib securedto the side walls intermediate the ends thereof between the side wallsand the lining, extending from side to side of the body between thebottom wall and the lining, and provided with arched portions followingthe contour of the pockets and supporting said pockets, a block securedto the body in the interior of an end corner thereof, extendingtransversely i the body and spaced from the side walls thereof to formsockets, and legs hingedly mounted in said sockets, braced againstlateral movement by snug engage ment with the ends of the block and withthe side walls, and adapted to move through said longitudinal openings.

2. In a combination suit case and table. a receptacle body includingside walls, end walls and a bottom wall of relatively thin mate l idbottom wall having longitudinal openings separating it from the sidewalls, a

lining of thin sheet material secured to the side walls throughout aportion of their height and spaced therefrom near the bottom wall toform longitudinally extending lee receiving pockets communicating witlisaid longitudinal openings, a reinforcing rib secured to the side ailsintermediate the ends thereof between the side walls and the lining.extending from side to side of the body be tween. the bottom wall andthe lining, and provided with arched portions following the contour ofthe pockets and supporting said pockets, a block secured to the body inthe ,l' of an end corner thereof. extending ersely of? the body andspaced from the side walls thereof to form sockets, and lnngedly mountedin said sockets on pins supported by the block, braced against lateralmovement by snug engagement with the ends of the block and with the sidewalls, and adapted to move through said longitudinal openings.

3. in a combination suit case and table, a receptacle body includingside walls, end walls and a bottom wall of relatively thin material,said bottom wall having longitudinal openings separating it from theside walls, a lining of thin sheet material secured to the side wallsthroughout a portion of their height and spaced therefrom near thebottom wall to form longitudinally extending leg receiving pocketscommunicating with said longitudinal openings, a reinforcing rib securedto the side walls intermediate the ends thereof between the side wallsand the lining, extending from side to side of the body between thebottom wall and the lining and provided with arched portions followingthe contour of the pockets, and supporting said pockets, a block securedto the body in the interior of an end corner thereof, extendingtransversely of the body and spaced from the side walls thereof to formsockets, and legs hingedly and slidably mounted in said sockets, bracedagainst lateral movement by snug engagement with the ends of the blockand with the side walls, and adapted to move through said longitudinalopenings.

4. In a combination suit case and table, a receptacle body includingside walls, end walls and a bottom wall of relatively thin material,said bottom wall having longitudinal openings separating it from theside walls, a lining of thin sheet material secured to the side wallsthroughout a portion of their height and spaced therefrom near thebottom wall to form longitudinally extending leg receiving pocketscommunicating with said longitudinal openings, a reinforcing rib securedto the side walls intermediate the ends thereof between the side wallsand the lining, extending from side to side of the body between thebottom wall and the lining, and provided with arched portions followingthe contour of the pockets and supporting said pockets, a block securedto the body in the interior of an end corner thereof, extendingtransversely of the body and spaced from the side walls thereof to formsockets, and legs hingedly and slidably mounted in said sockets, on pinssupported by the block, braced against lateral movement by snugengagement with the ends of the block and with the side walls, andadapted to move through said longitudinal openings.

5. In a combination suit case and table, a receptacle body includingside walls, end walls and a bottom wall of relatively thin material,said bottom wall having longitudinal openings separating it from, theside walls, a lining of thin sheet material secured to the side wallsthroughout a portion of their height and spaced therefrom near thebot-tom wall to form longitudinally extending leg receiving pocketscommunicating with said longitudinal openings, a reinforcing rib securedto the side walls intermediate the end thereof between the side wallsand the lining, extending from side to side of the body between thebottom wall and the lining, and provided with arched portions followingthe contour of the pockets and supporting said pockets, a block securedto the body in the interior of an end corner thereof, extendingtransversely of the body and spaced from the side walls thereof to formsockets, pins sup ported by said block, extending into the sockets andpositioned substantially above the lower edges of the adjacent portionsof the end walis and legs, provided at their upper ends withlongitudinal slots receiving said pins, whereby the legs may slideupwardly longitudinally to positions braced against lateral or hingingmovement, and may slide downwardly to positions where they may swingabout said pins.

Signed this 9th day of July, 1928, in the county of Thurston and Stateof Nebraska' FRANK GUNCHICK.

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